Most of us have made unwise furniture purchases that a bit of planning would have prevented. Before shopping, evaluate your budget, how you’ll use the furniture, how it fits in with your other furniture and tastes, and other considerations.

Buying furniture means spending lots of money and making lots of decisions. Style? Fabric? Pattern? It’s enough to make you want to keep your old stuff. Which might not be such a bad idea. A skilled upholsterer can make old pieces look new again.

A good piece of furniture deserves a second chance. But if you’re thinking of having a furniture piece reupholstered, first take a dispassionate look and decide whether it will last long enough to justify the cost of reupholstering.

Our ratings turn up many local drycleaners who can tune up your clothes. The really good news? Many top-rated shops also charge low prices, meaning they won’t clean out your wallet while they clean your wardrobe.